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A spring/early summer growing species that mostly seems to flower when in leaf. The flowering time here in Oudtshoorn is around late November to early December but it can occasionally flower other times as well.

The bulbs flower only sporadically depending on rainfall and between 2011 and 2017 flowering occurred only twice in the small population of about 6 plants on the farm Leopoort south of Oudtshoorn.

The leaves are linear, channelled and often curved and undulate, with fairly long hairs making it an attractive species for collectors.

The plants are in total up to about 40 cm high when in flower. During the developing stage of flowering the peduncle points in a U-shape downwards, straightening upwards as the flowers begin to form.

The plants occur from Oudtshoorn eastwards into the Eastern Cape and northwards into the Great Karoo and further. In the Oudtshoorn area at least, the bulbs appear to be very rare.

Dipcadi ciliare flowering in shale at Leopoort.

Pictures were taken early December 2017. The only year when more then 4 plants were in flower. The picture shows the U-shape of the juvenile peduncle, a characteristic of Dipcadis.

Many years the plants do not flower at all or the penduncle gets rejected early during development. Indeed it is not uncommon that plants do not even leaf during drought. Whereas I always thought there to be 2 specimens in the immediate vicinity where I know them to occur, in 2017 I counted 6 plants !

Seedlings are very limited and will be made available on Plant Auction occasionally.